Eight games over a 28 period would signal danger for a side still recovering from a Battle of the Somme-esque injury crisis earlier this year, but United have come out of their United States tour relatively unscathed.

Mata picked up a strained ankle and Herrera basically just got smacked in the ribs, but Mourinho – and, more importantly, Ed Woodward – ought to make note of what would happen, as things stand, if either Herrera or Paul Pogba suffered a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

United do, as demonstrated over the last few weeks, possess decent strength in depth, but not where they need it most: at the core of midfield.